


Starry Nightshade

by OrangeOrchids



Category: Super Mario & Related Fandoms, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, M/M, You Have Been Warned, fluff sometimes i guess, it's a mafia/gang au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-14
Updated: 2018-08-26
Packaged: 2019-06-27 10:09:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15683286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrangeOrchids/pseuds/OrangeOrchids
Summary: Two large organizations have been fighting for years. When 7 of the most important members of the Star Road, one of the biggest of these gangs, get kidnapped, the gunfire starts.





	1. The Start of a Life

The street was ablaze in gunfire. Geno was hiding behind a nearby building, waiting to take a shot. The others advised against getting involved, but higher rank or not, he was good with a handgun and was a valuable member of the team. Next to him was a kid named Mallow, he was still being trained, but credit to him, he was the quickest one on the team. Poor kid looked terrified, as this was his first full-scale fight.

Geno looked around the corner for a clear shot. Exor, the person leading the way and taking their land. The aim, and fire. Another gunshot out of many rang out. A body dropped, but it wasn't Exor. Someone shot dangerously close to his shoulder. Mallow managed to shoot someone in the arm, though.

Geno looked around the corner to look for another clear shot when he saw the absolutely insane. A normal citizen managed to be caught between the gunfire. He looked about Geno's age with a grown mustache. More bodies flew when he realized he had to do something. It was practically a suicide mission, but in his mind, no one else deserved to die. 

Geno dove in and pushed the man aside, letting him end up in his original position. A bullet skimmed over his left shoulder. They were close enough to get back next to Mallow. He held on to the shoulder, bleeding. The pain was  _agonizing_. The scar burned into his flesh. "What was  _that_?! You could've been killed!" Mallow scolded. As they lay along the wall, he looked over to the person he had saved. He was understandably  _horrified_. He was completely still as if hiding from something.

Mallow tended to the wounds Geno gained until the gunfire stopped. They looked over and saw the that the Smithy Gang was gone. Bodies littered the street, it was the bloodiest it had ever gotten. They looked to the man in red, who was breathing heavily. "Hey, it's okay. They're gone." Geno whispered. He seemed to calm down. "Thank you, so, so, much." the man sobbed, "What do I even do now?". Geno put his hand on his shoulder. "Please, don't go to the police. Go straight home and lock your doors" he pleaded. The stranger nodded and got up. Geno hoped he would be safe. No one else needed to be roped into this mess. 

* * *

Geno was on the roof of a random apartment building, looking down at the city. The cold air cut into his skin, the feeble hoodie not standing a chance. He was at least 11 stories up. The lights broke the darkness of the night. It's dead quiet. The seven bosses wouldn't let today happen, would they? Star Road was in danger of being killed off entirely. A feeling a dread filled his mind as a frosted wind reached him.

The door behind Geno clicked and opened. He reached for his gun, before realizing who it was. It was the same guy he saved just hours earlier. "Hey, hey. I have an excuse. I live here" He softly greeted. "Didn't I see you earlier?" Geno questioned, "I thought you'd stay home, paranoia gets the best of us".

The person walked over next to him. "I know, but the city looks so pretty at this time of night, I couldn't help myself." He calmly explained, looking out on the world, "Don't you think so too?". "I guess you're right..." Geno replied.

"I didn't even tell you my name, despite what you've done for me." the man stated, "Name's Mario". "Well, since it's the only thing I  _can_ tell you, and even that's a stretch, mine's Geno" he revealed. He was risking a lot, but that's just what his life was like. Mario seemed like the kind of guy you could trust, but Geno still had an air of caution around him.

 


	2. Flames

The building was lit with orange light. The smoke choked Geno as he helped some of the others out of the building. Was this the end? Some exited the building. He had seen some goons from the Smithy Gang flee the scene. Geno knew they were the bad guys, but committing  _arson_? In a building full of children and adults alike? They had reached a new low. Why would anyone do this? Star Road had stayed in this building for decades, and Geno had stayed there all his life. Something pricked at his eyes as he realized this. His vision faded to black before he got the chance to get out.

* * *

 Geno woke up to the absolute worst pain he's been in a while.  It was worst in his right shoulder, the burning injury taunting him. Geno reached over to the source, almost hunching over. "Try not to move much, you'll make it worse" a voice whispered. Geno looked over to find a mustachioed man about his age, Mario. "Why did you..?" Geno stalled, he could barely withstand it. He could barely sit up, much less keep up a facade. He tried to be the cool-kid archetype. His faults, insecurities, all hidden behind a hoodie and a handgun. This worked for him most of the time.

Not now. Not when he had lost most of Star Road. Not when he was hurt this badly.

Mario had finally finished bandaging Geno's shoulder and chest when he answered. "I can't let anyone get  _hurt_ like that. Not when they don't have a chance," Mario explained, "besides, I owe you. You saved my life. Why can't I do the same?". 

Geno's eyes burned, but he couldn't cry, for the sake of-

He didn't have anyone else to 'protect' but Mario and Mallow, if he even survived. Geno finally cracked. He felt a hand on his cheek as he sobbed.

After a while Geno stopped. This wouldn't get him anywhere, would it? Not that he could go anywhere.

Recovery was going to take a while.


	3. The Recoveries

Geno seemed to travel forward in time. He was laying back on a bed, light almost glaring into his eyes but not quite. It was around two in the morning when he got there. He had fallen asleep. Geno moved to a different spot, as he could tell. The room was rather clean but somewhat used. It didn't look that lived in though.

Geno noticed the gauze around his torso and arm. The burns had died down, hurting still but less. He probably couldn't walk, but he could at the very least, sit up. Geno looked over to the door when the door cracked slightly. It was Mario, carrying at  _least_ five bags, setting them down on a nearby desk. "Luigi, can you set the other bags over here?" He called to another location. A tall man in black dropped off some bags on the desk and looked over at Geno, wide-eyed. " Geno! We thought you were  _dead_!" Luigi exclaimed. 

Geno realized something. It was  _the_ Luigi. The one who held Star Road together after Eldstar's death. The boss. "Bro, you know him?" Mario questioned. He looked confused. Luigi looked over as if he was a deer in headlights. He couldn't tell his own brother he was the head honcho of a gang, most would want to ease the information into the mind, if at all. "Yeah, we're lifelong friends" Geno lied. He couldn't let his own boss get in more trouble after the fire that he couldn't prevent. Luigi let out a sigh of relief. 

"Oh, well, at the very least someone could've told me" Mario lamented. "Anyway, we got you some morphine and junk food," Luigi related, "Go nuts. On the junk food, not morphine. I know your work ethic. You haven't slept for days, I can tell".

"Hey Luigi, can we have a moment?" Mario asked. The man in question seemed surprised, but gave the go-ahead, and went into a separate room.

Mario wandered to Geno and put his hand on the good soldier, crouching down a little. "You didn't have to do that y'know. Not for my sake" Mario whispered, a sad gaze in his eyes. "What do you mean?" Geno asked. "I know my bro's your boss. You wanted to protect me from the dangers that come from being associated with Star Road, but it's a little too late for that," Mario sighed "Why do you think I was there when the main building burned down?".  Geno broke down then and there. He couldn't let one of the few that he cared about being involved. Tears rolled down his face, not stopping, despite his best efforts. He then felt something enveloping him, from his good side. Mario had hugged him, trying to comfort him. Geno smiled a bit at his effort, despite him still sobbing. After a while, Geno fell slightly better. 

The door cracked. "Is everything okay?" Luigi asked. Geno waved with the hand that wasn't being held by Mario. The tall man smiled with a look of understanding and walked away. If this is where Geno was going to be for a couple of months, that'd be okay. 

* * *

 Mallow woke up to a white, well, everything. The walls brighter than the fire that had consumed him the nights before. Mallow had been asleep for two days. He stared at the walls in a trance, the beeps of the monitor soothing him. He could barely feel anything under the effects of pain-killers. Mallow still felt as if something important to him was missing. He looked over to his right. His arm had been reduced to a black stub. He couldn't do anything for Star Road now, at least, what was left of it. He was too tired to be surprised when a figure walked up to his hospital bed. 

"Grandfat- No.  _Smithy_ " Mallow spat.

"You are worthless, never to meant to be. You should've stayed" the bearded, grey man spoke.

Mallow's eyes widened as the man who was once family unplugged a cord. 

"Wait, please I-!"

The monitor had deafened everything to a cold, flat, tone.

The deed was seemingly done.

Smithy smiled as the life drained from an abused child.


	4. As it turns out.

Mallow woke up, startled. It was a dream, thank  _god_. His arm was still gone, but at least he wasn't dead. The hospital was egg-shell white, almost blinding. The monitor beeped in rapid succession before dying down to a normal speed. Mallow laid back, a sigh of relief escaping his lungs. He never wanted to see his grandfather again. He never wanted to go back to the Smithy Gang. A nurse walked in, responding to his heartbeat jumping up to an alarming rate.

The nurse checked everything, before leaving him be. A phone was on the nightstand next to him, the only thing on the brand new drawer. Was Geno okay? He had almost died to even try to get him out of the building.  Mallow dialed a number and hoped for the best.

"Hello?" A familiar voice rang.

Thank  _god_.

"Hey, It's Mallow, I'm alive." Mallow sighed.

"Well obviously, but are you  _okay_ _?_ " Geno demanded. He probably only cared about the other's injuries at the moment.

"If you count losing a limb and gaining multiple second and third-degree burns, yeah, I'm okay" Mallow sang.

"Where even are you?" Geno questioned. He probably wouldn't answer any questions until Mallow told him everything.

"The hospital. What kind of burns do  _you_ have?" Mallow investigated. 

"Mainly second-degree and some third-degree burns. No amount of aloe vera and morphine made the pains completely vanish".

They both shared a pained laugh. The call went on for a couple of minutes before they both said goodbyes and left. Mallow smiled, Geno was okay. 

* * *

Bowyer was standing atop a building, 11 stories. He was so child-like and innocent before, the 16-year-old taking an interest in Star Wars, mainly Yoda.

That was until he had helped the Smithy Gang light fire to an entire neighborhood.

Bowyer and the Axem Rangers had been called into Smithy's office, for lack of a better term. They were sent over to a warehouse where members of Star Road. The Axem Rangers threw gasoline on the outside in preparation hours before. Bowyer hesitated, before lighting a match and throwing it onto the building.

They bolted to the car, Bowyer being the getaway driver. He couldn't help but look back. The flames licking the starry sky, the bodies pouring from the building. It got to a point where people broke windows to trade a fiery, slow end for a cold, abrupt one. Some survived, an arm hitting the concrete.

After the fact, Bowyer blamed it on himself. He created that fire. He helped the Axem Rangers get away with over a hundred people's death. Possibly more. He did that.

The red-head silently cried on the rooftop and came to a grim conclusion. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, right?

Bowyer, doing the unthinkable, chucked himself off the building, tears following him down. 

 

 


	5. oh.

Bowyer landed on the balcony right below him. A loud thud hit the concrete as he fell to the ground. He looked up at the sky as he lay, tears rolling down his face. A door opened as he cried. He blacked out seconds later. 

* * *

A mustached man laid Bowyer onto a couch. Bowyer himself looked around, before noticing a familiar face. One that he was taught to be an enemy. One of Star Road. He was covered in bandages and burns, with a look of mourning, pain. Bowyer broke down.

"What? WHAT? Supposed to die I was!" The ginger cried, "With the fire, I should've burned!"  

The one Bowyer had always known as an enemy tried to comfort him. His heart sank to the floor, his eyes burning with sorrows.

"Nya! Nya! I killed those people, I created that fire! Dead I should be! Burning in hell I should be!" Bowyer wailed.

The mustached man had almost interrupted him.

"Evil I am! A murderer I am! For I regret everything I stand!" lamented Bowyer, "Told to light a murderous fire I was! Through with it, I went! Smithy will kill me if he learns I regret it! If Smithy learned I cared for the lives, me he'll hurt! Afraid of smithy I am! Helpless against him I am! Me when I return he will beat! Nya! Nya!".

Bowyer sobbed into his arm, slowly quieting. It was hard to watch. If he went back, he'd die. He'd be beaten.

Just like-

No. He couldn't look back on that. Not now. He never wanted to go back to that. Yet his mind drifted to the memory. 

* * *

Mack and Bowyer were called into his office. Both were dreading the trip. Last time they had been they had been beaten severely. They had arrived at the grey, tall man. He was holding the ever-present sledgehammer he had always carried.

"Mack. Step forward." Smithy bellowed.

The small child stepped forward. They never knew if when they stepped forward they would get punished or awarded. 

Smithy swung the sledgehammer straight toward Mack's skull, knocking him back. The grey, blocky man struck again. A piercing scream filled the room as blood spilled, flesh churning. He struck him for 10 minutes, flesh flying across the room.

Bowyer held back tears, screams of terror. If he opposed Smithy, he would end up like the now quieted Mack.

A dead corpse on the steely, cold floor. 

Bowyer covered his mouth in a state of shock.

"Bowyer," Smithy shouted, "let this be a lesson. If you ever question me or what I say, Mack will be the  _least of your worries_ ".

"You are dismissed."

Mack was unidentifiable, his head, for all practical reasons, cracked open.

* * *

 Bowyer felt a hand on his shoulder. It was the man of bandages.

Geno normally wouldn't console a member of the Smithy Gang. They were horrible people. Then he realized something.

They were forced into this. They either died or submitted.

"What's your name?" Geno softly asked.

"Bowyer, I am." He whispered, tears still strolling down his face.

"Bowyer. Please. Don't go back there. Stay. You deserve better." Geno begged. It was true.

Geno examined some of the bruises and scars. Some of them were signs of physical abuse.

Some, however, were all too familiar to Geno, looking back on his grandfather's wounds. A memory pushed down to the back of his head came to light. A memory from years ago.

* * *

 

 The others had congratulated Eldstar that day. He had killed over 50 members of the Smithy Gang that day.

Why?

Why did he have to do that?

Those people had lived. Had families, even.

All ended in an instant. 

He called himself a murderer in his last weeks. He had a say in how many he killed. He could've saved lives, not take them away. He didn't deserve to live.

After that, Star Road lost Eldstar, a rope around his neck.

* * *

 

 

 


End file.
